


Tweek Week Day 2: Talent

by KyleMeMaybe



Series: Tweek Week 2019 [2]
Category: South Park
Genre: Episode: s21e02 Put It Down, Hidden Talents, M/M, Piano, Takes place during the events of Put It Down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-11 04:03:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20147326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyleMeMaybe/pseuds/KyleMeMaybe
Summary: Tweek and Craig only have a day to write a song...but they might be able to pull it off thanks to Tweek's surprising musical talent.





	Tweek Week Day 2: Talent

**Author's Note:**

> Day two of Tweek Week, prompt is talent!
> 
> Like I mentioned in the tags, this fic takes place during the events of "Put It Down"--shortly after Craig's talk with Tweek. I like the idea of Craig having helped Tweek with the song, but also...it's canon now that Tweek can play the piano and is good at it, not to mention he writes songs. He's a good talented boy.

They only had one day to write a song.

Ordinarily this would’ve made Tweek spiral into a panic, convinced there was no way he could do it. Not only did they have barely enough time to write and compose it, much less practice it and get the rest of the class to memorize it as well, they would be performing it at a memorial service in front of faculty, parents, and who knew how many other members of the community at the school the next night. There was a lot of pressure to get it just right.

And yet somehow he felt... _ calm,  _ more so than he had in weeks, as he sat on the living room floor with a notebook in front of him and Craig right beside him. He couldn’t quite explain why. Maybe it was because he wasn’t alone, and truly  _ felt  _ like it after spending so long worrying about something that was out of his control. Or maybe it was the fact that he was doing something productive, something that could help people more than his frantic outbursts ever could, that had him feeling better. But either way, he was more confident in doing this than he’d ever been before.

“Okay...what about this?” Tweek finished writing the last lyric and slid the notebook over to Craig for him to check out. His writing was a little cramped together and small, and he was a little heavy-handed with his pencil—the lead had almost torn the paper when he’d been scratching out a line rather than erasing it—but he hoped it was legible.

Craig picked up the notebook, reading over Tweek’s lyrics. “Wow, you really wrote  _ this  _ in half an hour?” he asked, surprised. “This is really good.”

“You think so?” Tweek asked, peering over Craig’s shoulder and reading what he’d written again. “I’m still not so sure...maybe I should change a few things.”

“Tweek, honestly, it’s great,” Craig insisted, and sounded like he genuinely meant it. “I’d definitely tell you if it wasn’t, but I think this is just right. It gets the message across perfectly.”

“Wow...uh, thanks.” Tweek wasn’t used to letting anyone read his writing, especially when it was barely finished, so Craig’s praise made him feel a little flustered.

“Anyway, we don’t exactly have much time left to get it done,” Craig went on. “We only have until tomorrow night, and we still have to come up with the music.”

“Right. Let’s do that next.” Tweek took his notebook back from Craig, and carried it over to the piano that was pressed against one wall of his living room. 

Craig only watched as Tweek took a seat at the bench in front of the piano, examining the lyrics one more time. He inched closer, curious.

“Hm..let’s see…” Taking a deep breath, Tweek struck a few keys on the piano, creating a short melody. He played the same sequence again, first humming to himself, and then softly singing the words to himself, barely loud enough for Craig to hear.

_ No...that’s not quite right. _

Tweek tried something different next, plucking a few different keys, still singing quietly along as he tested the notes.

_ Better...still needs some work. I think I’m getting closer though. _

For awhile he zoned out, concentrating on the lyrics and finding the right tune so much that he nearly forgot where he was or how much time had passed. His fingers flew over the keys at times, resting only when he stopped to read over the lyrics in front of him again or when he wanted to backtrack and try something different. 

_ Okay, I think...I think this is it! Yes, this is good!  _ He smiled to himself as he played one final arrangement, piecing everything together at last. He’d have to write it all down later so he wouldn’t forget it, but it sounded good to him. 

Satisfied, he turned to face Craig, finally remembering that he was there too. “What did you think of that, Craig? Uh...Craig?”

Craig was staring at him, an astonished expression on his face. 

“Um...what?” Tweek fidgeted awkwardly under Craig’s stare. “Did I miss a note or something? Did it sound awful?!”

“No...you...I had  _ no idea  _ you could do that, Tweek,” Craig said finally, regaining his voice. He was clearly shocked. “All this time, you actually  _ could  _ play the piano?”

“Well...yeah. You really didn’t know that?” Tweek asked, surprised.

“No, you never told me, and the only time I ever heard you play was during that assembly when you, uh, sort of just pounded your fists against the keys and screamed.”

“Oh, yeah, that...that wasn’t really a song, I guess.”

“How long have you been playing?” Craig asked.

“Just a couple years...I used to take piano lessons. My parents made me.” Tweek absentmindedly traced a fingertip along one of the ivories as he spoke. “I didn’t last very long, but I liked playing the piano, so I sort of...taught myself.”

“Seriously?” Craig’s eyes widened. “I never would’ve guessed you were self-taught. You sounded amazing!”

“What? No, no I’m definitely not  _ amazing... _ I’m okay, I guess, but not amazing.”

“Tweek, come on, don’t sell yourself short. You sounded great, especially since you were composing your own music.” 

“I….um, wow.” Tweek was floored, unable to respond at first. He was sure his cheeks were bright red by now. At last he croaked out, “Th-thanks, Craig.”

Craig joined him on the bench, and Tweek scooter over to give him more room. Craig tapped one of the keys experimentally. “Why did you stop taking lessons?”

It wasn’t an accusatory question. Craig just tended to phrase all of his questions bluntly, but asked them out of genuine curiosity. Still, Tweek hesitated for a second before finally responding.

“Um...I liked the lessons themselves enough, but then my piano teacher had all her students perform in a recital. It was really scary being onstage in front of so many people, knowing they were waiting to hear me play, and when it was my turn I just...froze up completely. I couldn’t play at all. Everyone was staring at me and I was panicking so I...I just ran off the stage, and hid until the recital was over.”

“Oh...I’m sorry.”

“Thanks...I asked my parents if I could quit taking lessons after that, and they let me. They probably got too embarrassed to risk letting me go onstage again and thought it wasn’t worth it anyway.” Tweek sighed, trying to let go of the awful memory as he exhaled. “But...I really liked playing, because it keeps my hands busy. I don’t feel shaky or like pulling my hair out when I’m playing. And I’m starting to get over my stagefright too. There are scarier things than playing the piano in front of the entire school.”

“Yeah.” Craig nodded. “That’s good to hear. And I think tomorrow night is going to go really well, with your song. You’re great at this, Tweek. Seriously. And screw your parents for giving up on you, too.”

“Thanks...I just hope I really do have it in me to pull it off.”

“You will. I know you will.”

“Hey...Craig?”

“What?”

Tweek hedged, then finally asked, “Would you stay onstage and sing with me tomorrow? I know you’re not really big on performing like that, but it would help a lot.”

Craig thought for only a second before quickly nodding. “Okay. I’m in.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Whatever you need help on, I’ll do it. Even if it means I have to sing.”

Tweek smiled a little at Craig, who returned the gesture. It was... _ nice,  _ having someone who cared enough about him to push themselves out of their comfort zone and be onstage with him. He wasn’t used to it yet, but it meant a lot to him, more than he could ever express.

“Alright...then we should run through the song a few times to make sure we have it memorized—we only have until tomorrow night,” Tweek suggested, flexing his fingers in preparation to play again. “Are you ready?”

“Ready,” Craig affirmed.

With that, they started the song over again, Craig singing (slightly off-key) and Tweek playing the piano. It would take awhile, but with any luck they’d be ready in time. 

And for the first time in a long time, Tweek was convinced everything would turn out right.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
